Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: Alex
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 3 Stars
A solid one-woman show but lacking in many respects. We need to have more
emotional connection with the characters. Also, the 7 characterizations
that Jennifer portrays are minor variations on her own personality - I would
have liked to have seen more use of physicality and voice variations
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: goreski
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 3 Stars
I only give this 3 stars since my rating system - surely not everyone's
- is more reasonable... a 5 star show should be a rare event, edge of the
chair stuff, 4 starts something very very very good, 3 stars for good material
and performance (which this is!) and less stars for weak material/performances.
I'm agast at how many folks plunge in and give mediocre shows '5 star' ratings!
So I'm a tough critic I guess... or realistic and honest..
Since I play golf, and barely know of Babe Didrikson-Zaharias, I was more
than interested in learning more about her and seeing this show... and it's
a fine little one-woman show. Not great, but well worth the effort to see
it... especially if you don't know 'Babe', one of the early feminist athletes,
and possibly the greatest female athlete of all time.
the only fault in the show is that there is no 'break' between characters
- they switch at lighting speed, one to another, and sometimes this gets
a little confusing. I'd suggest that Mz. Barclay slow the pace down a bit,
and pause a second or so between characters... other than that, and maybe
a little weakness in the writing, this is a fine one-woman show, and fully
interesting throughout. so go see it...
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: Ingrid
Reviewer Email: ingridj@sbcglobal.net
Rating: 5 Stars
This woman could wind up a big star. She exhibits enormous talent as she
effortlessly segues from one character to the next. Her characters are all
rich and complex and completely different from one another. It is quite
something to see someone create a Texas belle one moment, a fat Greek former
athlete the next. This is a highly entertaining show. Go see it.
Play: Clearing eHedgs
Reviewer: Cathy Powell
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow! Ms. Barclay does an amazing job of portraying an amazing woman - in
addition to giving us a great insight into what made Babe the way she was.
She does this by also playing several of Babe's key people in her life.
The changes in character and the pace keep you on the edge of your seat.
Ms. Barclay's great energy, humor and strength make this most enjoyable
(and educational).
I came out of that play wanting to know more about Babe, so I too looked
her up. This is one play well worth seeing!
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: Julie
Reviewer Email: nixthesix@hotmail.com
Rating: 5 Stars
Wow! Jennifer can do a lot in 60 minutes! I read the reviews about the pro-golfer
and thought 'hmmmm - might be boring.' no way! i left being totally intrigued
by this incredible female athlete Babe Didrickson. Jennifer draws you in
brilliantly so you are hooked on the character's life development. Her character
portrayals are strong and there are no gaps. You feel like you need a breath
of air to keep up as she switches between characters. The ending leaves
you wanting more and inspired me to look up Babe on the internet to find
out how her story ends. Very, very well done!
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: TLerner
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 4 Stars
An excellent solo performer, an engaging story and well-varied character
work. The show needs to give the audience a chance to breathe and take it
in. There 's also an opportunity for improvement in the character transitions,
the director's flaw, not the fabulous actress'. Solo show worth seeing
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: Nu Evanston
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 5 Stars
Re - Tired's review. I think Tired may have expected Clearing Hedges to
be the tale of a gardener. Dude - the description made it clear that this
was a one woman performance about Babe Didrikson. Think of the era. It was
the 30's. It was the depression. America needed its heroes and Babe was
an outspoken, ego driven athletic marvel, before the advent of steroids.
Coming back from surgery to lead her field.
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: cj
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 4 Stars
good solid show. i am recommending it. yes, it's about a pro golfer (and
an olympian and an amazingly driven woman). who knew i would learn something?
i was so intrigued and surprised that i hadn't heard of this person, that
i looked babe up on the internet the very next day. jennifer gives a strong
solo performance. would not be surprised if this is in 'best of fringe'
later.
Play: clearing hedges
Reviewer: tired
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 2 Stars
This is a show about a pro golfer. Shall I repeat that? a pro golfer. Smells
more like an actor showcase than anything relevant, but sadly it's lacking
nuance and depth in performance. She does an ok job- solid, let's say. But
really, does anyone really want to hear a story about a pro golfer? I kept
waiting for the payoff, and then when it didn't come, I was sad that I had
paid.
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: Nancy
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 5 Stars
Jennifer Barkley is an amazing actor performing in a well written piece
that has the audience engaged and amazed. This is the 8 show I've seen at
the Fringe and it's the best so far.
I'll bet this show is selected as one of the "Best of the Fringe"
and goes on to be a big success in other locations as well!
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: Mia
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 5 Stars
A strong script, and brilliant, flawless acting - a perfect show.
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: Dida Kutz
Reviewer Email: didak@jps.net
Rating: 5 Stars
DO NOT MISS this amazing piece of of acting by Jennifer Barclay, in which
she portrays Babe Didrickson, infamous female athlete of the 1932 Olympics
and beyond. Not only does Barclay portray Babe, but also her sister, mother,
close friend Betty Dodd, and piggish husband George. It's a physically demanding
piece, and one that Barclay perfoms with intelligence, humor, and sensitivity.
The woman's done her homework, and her passion for the subject matter is
obvious. Can you tell I loved it?
Play: Clearing Hedges
Reviewer: Darryl Henry
Reviewer Email:
Rating: 5 Stars
Jennifer Barclay plays,no, she becomes Babe Didrikson Zaharias (and is a
babe, but I degress!), in this one woman show about the 20th century's most
dominant female athlete. Barclay captures the Babe's confidence/spirit of
a woman who had one goal, to be the best at whatever she chose to compete
in, as the performance "covers" abut 3 decades of Babe's life.
Barclay easily morphs into other important individuals in Babe's life as
well. A fast moving production that you wish would last longer. You may
think, "gosh, this Beaumont, Texas, athlete has an ego," but to
paraphrase another athlete of that era, "if you can do it, it ain't
braggin'" The production hints (not probes), at some of the controversy
in Babe's life. Touching and humorous, Clearing Hedges is well worth seeing.
|